Elevator operator position-indicating device



Patented Sept. 9, 1930 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN JONES, OF SANDIEGO, CALIFORNIA ELEVATOR OPERATOR POSITION-INDIGATING DEVICEApplication filed October 15, 1929. Serial No. 399,751.

My invention relates to elevator position principal parts and portionsof my novel indicators, and more particularly to an indielevatorposition indicating device. cator for the use of the elevator operator,Figure 1 illustrates a row of elevator and the objects of my inventionare: first, to shafts A, B, and C, in which operate the 5 provide anelevator position indicator for a elevators a, b, and c, by means of thehoist- 55 row of elevators which enables each operaing mechanism H,positioned at the upper tor to ascertain the position of other elevaendof the shaft, as indicated in Fig. 1, or tors; second, to provide anindicator for elein the pit of the shaft. vators, by means of which eachoperator may An actuating mechanism 1 is adapted to time his departurewith respect to the other be operated by the elevator hoistingmechaelevators from the upper or lower floor served nism, said mechanism1 being in the nature by the elevators; third, to provide a position ofa gear reduction device translating, the indicating means visible fromthe operators movement of the elevators to a relatively seat in anelevator, by means of which the short movement of the cable 2, which ispo ition of elevators on either side may e adapted to be raised andlowered by means eeeel'telnefl; l y pr a p e l of said mechanism 1. Theactuating mechaoperated mdlcator of thls Class Whlch can nism 1 andcables 2 are already well known be installed without in any waydisturbing in the art and do not form a part of this the front of theelevator Shafts, and fifth to invention, except in combination with the20 provide a device of this class which is ecoindicating device n i Ofmellllfaeture, pl of s ue- At the upper floor of each elevator shafttion, and whlch Wlll not readily deterlorate [positioned intermediateadjacent shaftsor e Out of dell" placed the indicators 6, 6" and 7". Theinu .Wlth these nd other oblqcts m.vlew as dicators face sideways withrespect to the 76 Wlll appear hereinafter, my lnventlon elevator shaftsand are placed substantially sists of certain novel features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts g lil jfgz zgj g z sgi g g 5 3 and portions as will be hereinafter described shafts g indetail and articularlv set forth in the a appended clainis, referencebeing had to the The mdlcatorsfi and 6b.cOn.1pnse h 9' 80 accompanyingdrawings, and to the charac Fangular. fl .casmg whlfih 1S prowded P tersof reference thereon which form a part lts one Wlth a lengthwlseextendlng Slot f h ,wplicationi which; 6, positioned near the one edgeof the cas- Figur 1 is a diagrammatical View of a lng. Opposlte thisslot, 1s placed a number 35 row of elevator shafts equipped with my card5 on Whlch the Spaced apart 1111mindicating devices; Fig. 2 is adiagrammatibel's correspondmg to the numbers of the cal sectional viewtaken along the line 22 floors served y the elevater- A11 indicating inFig. 1, showing the position of the indimember 5 111 the form of a u snt lly cators in th shaft; Fi 3 i a di ti rectangular plate, is adaptedto slide within cal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 the si g 6,in such a manner as to obscure in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional'view ofmy one or more of said numbers 5, according indicator taken along theline 4-4 in Fig. 7; to the position taken by said indicating mem- Fig. 5is a sectional view of a double indicaher. To the bottom edge of theindicating 45 tor; Fig, 6 is a side vi w in l ati n f th member 3 issecured a curtain member 4 of indicating member, and Fig. 7 is a lsubstantially the width of the plate 3 and of tional view of theindicator device. a length slightly greater than the length of Theactuating mechanism 1, cables 2, inthe slot 6. At the center of theupper rim dicating members 3, curtain 4, number card of the casing 6 isprovided a sleeve member 50 5, casings 6 and 7, and pulleys 8 form the 6through which the cable 2 is adapted to slide, the inner end of saidcable being connected to the center of the upper edge of the indicatingmember 8.

At the upper corner of the indicating member, exposed within the slot 6is painted an arrowhead 3 which is adapted to draw attention to thenumber just above, and the position of the indicating device is so arranged that the arrowhead 3 occupies the position in respect to thenumbers, as indicated in Fig. 7, as each elevator reaches'a positionopposite the corresponding floor. As the plate 3 moves towards the lowerend of the casing 6, the curtain folds up in the space below the lowestnumber.

a The indicator 7* which occupies the position between theindicators 6and 6 at the upper end of the shafts A, B, and O, is of a double form,that is, it consists substantially of a pair of the indicators 6 placedback to back, having the two slots 7 and 7 in which are placed similarcards 5 and over which are adapted to slide a pair of indicators 8having curtains 4. Thus, indicator 7* may be read from either side.

It Will be noted that the operator may see the indicators through thespace between the wall of the shaft and the outside of the elevator cageby looking sideways from the door of the elevator cage. Thus, when theelevator a occupies the upper position of the shaft A, the operator canascertain the position of the elevators 7) and c, and time his departureaccordingly.

In the illustration, the shafts A and B form the ends of the row ofelevators, and I for this reason, the indicators 6 and 6 are of thesingle-sided variety, while the central elevator shaft B is providedwith the double sided variety 7*, which can be read from either side.

Other indicators 7*, 7 and 6 are also pro vided at the first floorinside the elevator shafts, and for the sake of greater convenience,indicators for each elevator are shown positioned between each shaft.Thus, between the shafts A and B the indicator 6 of the single varietyand the indicator 7 of the double variety are provided.

The indicator 6 is operated by one branch of the cables 2*, which passesover pulleys 8 while the indicator 7 is operated by means of the cable 8passing over suitably positioned pulleys 2.

Between shafts B and C are positioned the indicators 6 and 7 the formerallowing the operator in elevator at to observe the position of theelevator I), while the latter enables the operators in elevators b andcto observe the position of the elevator a.

The indicator 6 in this position is oper ated by a branch of the cable2, while the indicator 7 is operated by the cable 2 passing over pulleys8 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

It is obvious that the height of each inclicator above the floor levelmay be chosen to enable the best view from either direction to beobtained.

At the first floor, as at the top floor, the elevator operator isenabled to observe the positions of the other elevators by lookingbetween the outer side of the cage and the inner side of the elevatorshaft. The operators are thus enabled to remain in their respectiveelevator cages while awaiting their turns for departing, which they canascertain by watching the position of the elevators indicated by theindicators 6 and 7, thus enabling the correct spacing of the elevatorsto be maintained. 7

It is obvious that the indicators may be placed at intermediate floors,if desired.

Though I have shown and described a par ticular construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to belimited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement,but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction,combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1.;The combination with arrow of elevators, of means operable by thehoisting machinery of each elevator for indicating the position thereof,said indicating means being visible from within the other elevatorcages.

2. The combination with a row of elevators, of position indicating meansmounted within the elevator shafts intermediate adjacent elevators, andmeans actuating said indicating means on movement ofsaid elevators, saidindicating means being visiblefrom within said shafts.

3. The combination with a row of elevators, of position indicatorsmounted within the shafts between adjacent elevators and visible fromeither side between the shaft wall and front wall of the elevator, andmeans operable by the hoisting machinery for actuating said indicators.V

4. In an elevator indicator, a casing, a 1on gitudinal slot in the oneside of said casing, numerals on the inside of said casing opposite saidslot, a plate slidable in said casing adapted to successively obscuresaid numerals, and means for moving said plate within said casing.

5. In an elevator indicator, a casing, a longitudinal slot in the oneside of said casing, numerals on the inside of said casing opposite saidslot, a narrow plate slidably mounted in said case, foldable extensionmeans secured to the lower edge of said plate and adapted to occupy afolded position in the bottom of said casing when saidplate is pies thehigher position. In testimony whereof,

I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 27th day ofSeptember, 1929.

JOHN JONES.

